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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043253">72 Hours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/eskimojo/pseuds/eskimojo'>eskimojo</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsukemen/pseuds/tsukemen'>tsukemen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Character Death, Drama, Emotional Manipulation, Friendship, Graphic Description, I changed the ending like five times, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, M/M, Murder Mystery, References to Depression, Seonghwa is rich, Seven Deadly Sins, Slow Burn, So is San, Suicide, and wooyoung too, hongjoong is admirable, jongho is tough, mingi is questionable, yeosang is baby, yunho is barely awake</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:01:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26043253</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/eskimojo/pseuds/eskimojo, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsukemen/pseuds/tsukemen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If there's a will, there's a way. 72 hours was enough for one man. </p><p>When privileged student Seonghwa Park becomes a prime suspect of first-degree murder, he struggles to avoid a possible arrest considering how his friends have turned their backs against him. As tension causes an uproar within the circle of friends, dark secrets uncover themselves as sacred promises were soon to be broken. Members of the group begin to speculate one another, curious as to who the murderer is and their next target, they soon come to notice that they all possess a trait that could label them as a possible suspect as well. The more they pondered, the clearer the intention became.</p><p>With Seonghwa’s disengaged personality, will teamwork successfully prevent his arrest, or will selfish acts save themselves from the predicament? </p><p>- rated explicit ; last chapter -</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Park Seonghwa/Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first fanfiction after a 5 year hiatus because of life; first time posting on this site too! I worked really really hard on this so I'm open for some constructive criticism : ) </p><p>This song came about while listening to 'Inception'; focusing on the whole vibe and feel of the song rather than basing it on lyrics or the music video; so inspiration mainly came listening to the song. </p><p>Characters within the story all possess each trait from The Seven Deadly Sins.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>* Hongjoong is the oldest in the group *</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The concept of time is depicted by the location of the sun throughout the day, but can easily be lost in translation during the night. The invention of clocks to display the time kept the human race in line, systematic progress of consciousness and self-aware. The faint, gentle clicks of the analog clock hung on the egg-shell white painted walls of the room was the loudest noise that sliced through the white noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hands, on the face of the old human invention that represented every second, every minute, of every hour, seemed to slow down every time it clicked. In front of the metal table, a young man in his late twenties was seated in a rather uncomfortable chair, waiting for an interview. The male wasn’t showing any signs of nervousness, but he had his face in his palms as his mind was infiltrated by thick clouds of uneasiness. It had only been an hour since he was called in for the interview. Time had seemed to slow down with every passing second inside the incredibly raspy room. He knew the truth and that was all that mattered; the fact that he was innocent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The large restrained-blue door opened and a law enforcement officer entered with a yellow manila folder in one hand from behind, startling the man. His head lifted to look at the officer, who was bigger in build, entering the room. He took a seat in front of the younger, clearing his throat and gently hit his chest with a closed fist before placing the flat of it over his upper abdomen. He didn’t even bother to acknowledge the worried man’s existence, as he opened the folder to display the graphic photos of the crime scene for the suspect to observe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Park,” The prosecutor spoke in a calm but stern, low voice as he looked at the younger man. Instantly, it caused the distressed young adult to shift his eyes from the photos on the table and make eye contact with the higher authority, strands of hair covering his eyes. “Why did you do it?” He asked out of the blue, straight to the point. “It’ll be a shorter sentence if you confess right now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa sat back into his chair, almost slouching, feeling rather sickly from seeing the photos. It felt odd that the detective was quick to assume that he committed the murder; had they been conspiring against him? “I didn’t do it. I was at school the entire day until I came home and called the police.”  He was extremely uncomfortable and he just wanted to stretch his legs under the table. With a quick inhale through his nostrils, he exhales rather slowly yet jittery past his slightly parted lips, eyes shifting from the photos to the other man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re still gathering evidence for that, so don’t rely on your alibi for the moment.” The detective warned him before retrieving the photos back. “Were you jealous? Angry? Bloodthirsty?” The investigators were quick to find background information on Seonghwa and the media was definitely attracted to wealthy family scandals, so they had to work rather quickly to close the investigation and arrest the culprit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa let out a sigh and shook his head, tilting his head back to avoid his gaze. “I have everything I could ever possibly want. Why would I ever be jealous?” He answers and focuses his attention back onto the officer rather than the one-way mirror behind him. “Wouldn’t it make sense for us to be together? We’ll be much stronger anyway. Why would I kill him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Kim, you have nothing to be nervous about. I’m Detective Yu and I’d just like to take a police statement from you.” Hongjoong took a seat in front of the man at the table after he had done so, hands immediately fidgeting with the hem of his black turtle-neck sweater. He pulls the neck of the fabric up slightly to cover his chin, looking down at the folder in front of him; curious about the contents of the flimsy folder. “I’m sure you’ve been told about the homicide that occurred in your friend’s home. Seonghwa listed you as the second emergency contact.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The light-haired male inhaled shakily past his parted lips, his entire body shuddered; it was as if he knew what was happening. “Seonghwa,” He muttered softly under his breath. “Wait, what about his first emergency contact?” He shuffled forward in his seat until he was sitting right on the edge of it, looking right at the officer who had a stoic expression plastered over his face. Where was his initial emergency contact? Did he know about Seonghwa’s situation and kept it a secret, or did Seonghwa refuse to let them know? “Where is he?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not here yet.” The man sighed in response and looked down at the folder, tapping over it lightly. “Unfortunately, his first emergency contact is unavailable.” Hongjoong felt feverish, his stomach churning in antipathy and he felt quite faint. It only took him a couple of moments to decipher what he had said. Hongjoong kept staring at the officer, shaking his head slowly; not wanting any of this to be real. “I think you should take a look at these.” He reaches into the folder to show a photograph of the scene and particularly, the mutilated body of his friend covered in blood with limbs still attached, his abdomen completely exposed as if he was mauled by a tiger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong immediately broke down into tears, face buried in his palms after he had seen the photos. At this point in time, he was a sobbing mess and he was very vocal about it. The officer grabbed a box of tissues and placed it on the table for the shorter man to take. He grabbed a few and dabbed away his tears that threatened to trickle down the side of his face. Since Hongjoong was still struggling to calm down, the detective instructed the officer by the door to fetch him water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong remembered the first time he made eye contact with the lonely awkward kid named Seonghwa almost two years ago. The young adults at the party had purposely shunned the poor student from overlapping group conversations and overly suggestive drinking games, eventually leaving Seonghwa alone in the dark corner of the room. The shorter man could tell what was going on so he decided to ditch the party and (forcibly) took the young man with him. He remembered the night they had explored the city on the weekend; it was so lively and bright along the streets full of vendors for food, souvenirs and handmade memorabilia accompanied by live music. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Seonghwa quite a bit of time to open up to the older man even though he was quiet most of the time, Hongjoong talked about himself hoping that it would make the other feel a lot safer and comfortable. Through their very impulsive night together, Seonghwa eventually opened up with caution. They were able to learn a lot about each other and how much they had in common despite their difference in friendship groups and their preferences over pizza toppings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over the months that followed, Hongjoong would accommodate himself at Seonghwa’s penthouse almost every other night after work; the shorter liked staying over at his larger living space. Whenever Hongjoong was around, Seonghwa felt nervous. He didn’t know whether the other would judge him for his grave amount of wealth. Not only that, but his heart would also clench in his chest and he would instantly feel sick; nauseated, nervous. He was in love with the man who saved him from a crowd of faceless humans; he was madly in love with the male up to the point where it was almost impossible for him to sleep without relieving himself with lewd thoughts of the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>New Year’s Eve. Seonghwa wanted to confess his feelings to the man as soon as the clock struck midnight. The two had already planned to arrive at a large party at a club hosted by the much richer students from their university. It felt like the first time he met Hongjoong again, surrounded by deafening music and bustling of people mingling; conversations on top of other conversations on top of loud music, intoxicated individuals dancing and drinking during the final hours of the year. The deep bass of the music that pumped adrenalin through his entire body made his entire body feel heavy, mildly disgusted by the sticky floors stained by spilled drinks. The duo ended up separating, getting lost in the crowd. At the same time, some of the girls at the party wanted to accompany Seonghwa with lots of drinking. Being a gentleman he was, he couldn’t refuse the ladies. He needed to drink to ease himself anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One tequila shot somehow ended up with countless body shots with the girls. He was definitely attracted to girls, but he definitely wasn’t feeling it that night. His head was a mess, his body couldn’t handle the rush of alcohol in such a short amount of time. His speech became slurred, vision slightly skewed and his eyes barely open. He couldn’t even excuse himself, he forced his way to the bathroom; he thanked God that he was a male, there were no lines for the male bathroom whatsoever. The bathroom was dimly lit with strips of red, neon lights along with the top trims of the washroom, it was definitely an alluring vibe. The music now was muffled by the walls, he stumbled into a vacant bathroom stall with ease and fell on his knees in front of the porcelain toilet bowl and all of the consumed alcohol heaved out of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was weak by the time he finished hurling so he rests his back against the wall of the stall with hooded eyes and saliva trickling down the corner of his lips. His thoughts about all the other men walking past his stall to see him almost passed out on the grimy floors but it didn’t bother him; all except one. “Look at you. The party barely started and you’re all by yourself.” A soft, yet seductive voice perked his ears. Seonghwa didn’t bother to acknowledge him; he was weary and all he wanted was to sober up as fast as he could. He hadn’t even realised that the person had helped him wipe the drool and vomit off his chin and shirt. “I think this party is too much for you. Let’s get out of here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt way too familiar so he had assumed it was Hongjoong. With his eyes barely open, Seonghwa faced the male who was crouched beside him, comforting him. “H-Hyung? Do you love me?” He blurted, out of the blue. If he was sober, he would’ve immediately redacted that statement but he wasn’t; the question still lingered in the air above the two. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other male could only smile and lean in to press a kiss on his cheek. “You’re so cute. I love you so much.” He got up and helped the other up, draping his arm over his shoulder and slowly led him out of the bathroom and eventually left the party together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The streets were busy with crowds of people waiting for fireworks, some lighting their own to celebrate the new year while the duo made their way back home. Seonghwa felt happy that the older male was able to return his feelings the same way; it was a relief. All of his troubles and worries disappeared. He spent the rest of his night back at the shorter’s home, it was the first time he visited but upon arrival, he collapsed on the bed and passed out almost immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love him. I will always love that man.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective was showing subtle signs of utter defeat but he wasn’t going to give up that easily. He needed more witnesses before he could make an arrest. The much older man leaned back in his seat and stared up at the ceiling; he was tired of looking at the emo-looking kid who seemed to be on the brink of tears. He had received CCTV confirmation that Seonghwa was at definitely at school at the time the murder took place. The detective had conspired that Seonghwa was framed in this case, but he needed more evidence. He pushed himself up from his seat, picking up the manilla folder. “You may go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa got up from his seat after the officer gestured to him to leave. He was so frustrated, he felt choked up. He didn’t know what to do in this situation. There was no way money could pull him out of this, not even his family. If he really was convicted, they would’ve pretended that he died in a terrible accident; his criminal record could potentially ruin his family’s reputation. He was alone in this mess. As he made his way out, he saw a familiar blond male with his face in his hands, hunched over sitting in the waiting area. The further he approached, he realised that it was Hongjoong; he knew exactly why he was there. “Hyung,” He called for him as he sat right next to him, not wanting to touch him just in case the older was upset at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong was in the bathroom during Seonghwa’s interview to calm himself down, washing his face multiple times to bring himself back to reality. Some officers had even offered him biscuits to comfort him. He recognised the voice immediately and looked up at his friend, running in for a tight hug, sobbing against his shoulder. “Tell me you didn’t do it. Please! None of this was you!” He stammered, tightening his hold around the male’s nape, pulling him in closer until they could feel each other’s warm chest. All the frustrations that Seonghwa experienced dissipated quickly. Hugging the male felt warm and safe, he closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly; almost nuzzling against the side of his neck, savouring his sweet, vanilla scent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was fortunate that the group had decided to stay in for their Saturday night plans. The rain definitely took advantage of everyone’s usual plans to go out. The seven of them arrived at the penthouse all at different times except for Jongho who was forcibly dragged by Mingi to hang out with them. Although there was a lot of tension between Jongho and the host, Seonghwa always wanted to keep a friendly persona. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Glad you guys could make it!” He welcomed them into his home as Mingi handed the male a black plastic bag with mixed flavoured soju for the night. “Thank you so much for getting these for me. You were on the way so I figured you could do the favour for me. Yeosang and Yunho are playing games in the living room while Hongjoong and Wooyoung are cooking in the kitchen.” He informed the two what the rest of them were doing. “I don’t get why they would want to cook, I could easily hire caterers but I guess they enjoy the process.” He shrugged, walking over to the spacious kitchen to stack bottles of soju in the fridge as Jongho joined Yeosang and Yunho playing video games on the large screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi accompanied Hongjoong in the kitchen. “Where’s San?” He asked Seonghwa who immediately looked towards the large staircase of his home leading up to the bedroom section. “He wanted to take a nap so he’s sleeping for a bit. He was discharged from the hospital today.” He reminded the taller as he made his way over to where Hongjoong was, admiring what he was making for dinner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His nose job,” Mingi uttered to himself, suddenly remembering that San had always wanted to fix his nose. He never thought there was a problem with it but each to their own; he wasn’t going to be pressed up about it. San was the type of person who believes that there is always room for improvement in any aspect of life. However, he had taken a different approach with the advice. “He’ll be able to join us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa nodded slowly at the male and kept an eye on the clock that hung above the fridge. “Yeah, he’ll join us once he wakes up from his nap.” He reminded the male, leaving the kitchen suddenly; leaving Mingi with Hongjoong and Wooyoung to accompany him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Mingi,” Wooyoung immediately started a conversation, standing on the other side of the island counter facing the seated male. The shorter man was slicing garnishes while the main course was cooking over the stove and in the oven. Wooyoung was the most outgoing figure of the group and with all the money he inherited from his family, he was able to live a lavish lifestyle, enrol himself in a prestigious university with a 3.6% success rate; he was admired by many. “Do you have a boyfriend yet?” The shorter man teased him almost as if he was trying to flirt with the taller male. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi was still a virgin by this point. His lack of experience and time to delve into the dating and hookup culture was eaten up by his tight schedule with work and study. The male shook his head in response; he didn’t even know if he was even attracted to males. “I don’t even know if I’m attracted to men and I don’t have the time to find that out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a small pout coming from Wooyoung, he lets out a soft mewl and reaches his hand over to pat his shoulder. “It’s okay, little Mingi. You’ll figure it out one day. You have all the time in the world to find out.” He spoke in an endearing manner, gently caressing his cheek with the edge of his finger. “No need to rush.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s right, Mingi. You’ll meet the love of your life if you stay candid. Don’t actively look for it. The right person will come to you.” Hongjoong chimed to the conversation as he was serving the mixed salad into a larger bowl beside Wooyoung. “And besides, that person could be standing right in front of you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wooyoung immediately smacked Hongjoong’s arm when he teased him; he felt as if they were high school again talking about crushes. Mingi was oblivious to the entire scene in front of him; a little clueless as to what Hongjoong had meant. Out of politeness, he only smiles and lets out a soft chuckle, acknowledging their inside humour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want to know if there were any times of heated arguments, fights between any of the individuals there. Any tensions?” The officer decided to sit back as well, mimicking Mingi’s actions, crossing his legs over the other with his clasped hands over his abdomen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We always have arguments and there’s always tension between us. We’re guys. We get rough sometimes and we do fight. We rage at each other but never with the intention to kill. Don’t you have fights with your siblings or friends?” Mingi spoke in a rather calm voice, hoping to touch into the officer’s personal experiences.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The officer only lets out a soft laugh, nodding a little and closed folder in front of him. “That I agree with, but even after seeing the photos, you still don’t think that your little group of boys could’ve done that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” He snapped, almost cutting off the officer. “That would be second-degree murder. This is clearly first degree. Hate and anger were definitely shown in the lacerations. Someone really wanted him to have a painful death.” He pursed his lips, letting out a soft sigh and lowered his head again, seeing the photos the second time was enough to make him feel nauseous again. “Even Jongho wouldn’t do that. Murdering people would end the game for him.” He spoke rather casually, knowing that Jongho had a weird and close relationship with the detectives. The young man had a violent nature and had a short temper, but murder would be a step too far. He would rather see people suffer for the rest of their lives than to end it quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you know the terminology, you are a criminal law student after all.” He praised the young male. “What do you think the motive is according to this?” The officer placed the photo in the folder, closing it and shifted it to the side, closer to the edge of his desk. “Do you think Mr. Park was jealous?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Mingi was about to lose his patience, the conversation was disrupted when the door opened with a different officer entering the room. “Sir, Mr. Choi is here and I think you should take him in now. He’s causing a scene.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The officer immediately shot out of his seat and gestured for Mingi to follow him out of his office. “I’ve gathered enough for now. If I need you again, I’ll call you in.” The detective informs him as they both made their way through the station to the waiting area where they could see a rowdy delinquent being held back by the officers around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just put him in jail already! Of course he did it, who else? He thinks he has all the money in the world to cover his tracks.” Jongho preached, pointing fingers at Seonghwa who was protected by Hongjoong standing in between the two. The youngest male was panting through his parted lips, clenched jaw, hands closed into a tight fist. “I swear to fucking god, Seonghwa. Once they find shit in your fucking waste of a penthouse, you’re done for.” He caught a familiar figure just behind the duo and realised it was Mingi. His expression softened slightly after seeing him but was rather frustrated. “Why the fuck are you here?” He exclaimed and cocked his head up slightly at Mingi, “The rest of our group will join us soon, huh? He’s making innocent people come in for a fucking statement. We all know who did it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Choi, may I remind you that you are on probation for reckless driving and a DUI?” Detective Yu reminds the rowdy male with his arms crossed over his chest, letting him calm down for a second before speaking again. “Come on, Jongho.” He tried to diffuse the situation by removing him, gesturing the youngest male to come over with his hand. “You know how this works. Mingi, come follow me.” The officer walked back into the interrogation room with Mingi trailing behind and Jongho was released from the officer to go into the office himself, purposely knocking his shoulder against Seonghwa’s along the way. The furious Jongho needed to release his anger physically, so upon entering the room he smashed his balled fist into a wall, leaving a small dent. Mingi stood outside the room with the detective giving him advice. “I know you’re trying to defend Seonghwa as much as you can, but you’ll be a lot safer once he’s put away, alright? Do the right thing.” He reminded him one last time before entering the room to interrogate Jongho.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red-head calmed himself down; knowing well that the detective was siding against Seonghwa. He was taking his time with his breathing pace before turning away from the door and made his way towards the waiting area where the other two were seated. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, chest heaving, calming himself down despite the commotion that occurred at the police station. “Why haven’t you guys left yet?” He asked as he approached the two, knowing that the two of them had gone through a lot that day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong wiped away a few stray tears on his jaw and sniffled before speaking. “I figured if half of us are here already, the rest is going to come rather soon and I think we need each other right now. Heard anything from Yunho yet?” Mingi shook his head in return. “He’s been a little quiet. It’s a little suspicious at this point.” Seonghwa remained quiet but kept his eyes on Mingi the entire time as if he was trying to decipher his behaviour as he conversed with Hongjoong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi noticed the way the Seonghwa was staring; he was bothered by it up to the point that he struggled to form sentences for Hongjoong. “Don’t say that, hyung. Yunho is really slow in his normal day-to-day life already, he is incapable of getting his life together, let alone premeditated homicide.” He reminded the older before taking a vacant seat next to them with his back hunched over slightly, combing his fingers through his own hair. “So we’re just going to sit here and wait until the rest of them show up and give a statement?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it’s not a good idea to let them leave here by themselves. They need our support too.” Hongjoong needed to wash up, feeling his face rather heated up and stained with tears. “Please excuse me.” Seonghwa averted his gaze to the distressed Mingi and sat in silence. It was an uncomfortable tension between the two; they weren’t particularly awkward with each other but with their current situation they had nothing to talk about. Either of them were struggling to think straight. Suddenly, the silence Seonghwa was receiving from Mingi didn’t seem too bad.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>In high school, students were told to wear the same uniform, arrive at school, attend class, have lunch, and go home at a certain time. It was a strict schedule that students had to follow and anyone who broke any rules was either given a warning, after school detention, or summer school. Whether the school was a public school or a privileged, all-boys school, the only group of people they knew were those in their cohort. It almost seemed as though high school only existed in the first place for students to fast track through education and get their dream job; but even so, many end up changing careers, and by the time they realised, it had already been too late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily for Jongho, he realised the scam long before graduation. He was purposely half-assed throughout high school and had known it was a complete waste of time. He spent a lot of his free time with his friends, whether it’d be causing a ruckus at public parks in the middle of the night or sneak into underground bars and nightclubs. Of course, he had been in trouble with the police several times and had been on house arrest a number of times.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lived in a small, cramped, paper-thinned walled apartment with loud neighbours surrounding him, no valuable possessions, but he was happy. He was able to afford the really cheap living space, utility bills and food. It wasn’t the most luxurious, but his home was his safe space. It was the life he lived and enjoyed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi was someone who always made himself present in Jongho’s life. Although he was three years older, Mingi was a family friend since they were young children and watched each other mature and progress through life. Jongho was appreciative of Mingi for sticking by his side throughout the years. Mingi was always there to pick him up and save him whenever he needed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The difference between Jongho and Mingi was their own personal perspective on happiness and passion; Mingi was the struggling one in life. He hated his cheap, studio apartment; he hated the loud neighbours and the limited privacy he had. Mingi worked as a food delivery worker as well, but he was also a university student. Through determination all during high school, the lack of sleep and social life; he had only just passed the bar to apply for a scholarship. Lucky for him, he was awarded the lump sum of money for his Criminal Law degree.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi had known Hongjoong from his lectures on campus. Hongjoong started university a little later after having spent the first few years after graduation travelling the world by himself. Mingi admired him for his optimistic, bubbly self and how he enjoyed his life. When he realised that he was wealthy, it had all made sense to Mingi; money was a solution. Hongjoong lived a life that Mingi would die for; financially stable, happy and healthy for him and his future generations </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So Hongjoong hyung wants us to have brunch and meet a new friend of his? That’s new.” Jongho scoffed as the two were making their way to the assigned restaurant. It had been a while since Mingi had seen Hongjoong despite them having the same classes, as Mingi had opted to self-study at home due to his occupation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just go with it. He rarely does anything like this so I’m assuming this person is somewhat important to him.” Mingi tried to assure the younger male. He knew very well that Jongho was someone who always had a sixth sense for disloyal people. The first time Hongjoong invited Mingi and Jongho over to his home, the youngest was sceptical but over several hangouts, he began to respect Hongjoong a lot more and he slowly became a positive influence in his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two arrived at the restaurant, informing the waiter that they were there to see a friend. Almost at the same time, Hongjoong stood from his seat from the back of the restaurant and waved his hand in the air, gesturing for them to come over. He always had a bright smile that could be seen from miles away; he had such a bright aura. Mingi and Jongho approached the table and immediately bowed at the older and his new friend who was directly beside him. Jongho refused to acknowledge the man straight away, taking a seat in front of Hongjoong and was already occupied with the menu. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My name is Mingi.” The red-head greeted the other with a smile and hand extended for a firm handshake. “Seonghwa, was it? It’s very nice to meet you.” He took a seat in front of the raven-haired man shortly after and still had a bright expression plastered on his face. “I was told that we’re the same age but I’ll still call you hyung for honorific’s sake if that’s okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The opposite male lets out a soft chuckle, nodding a little. “Whatever you want, I’m not too worried about honorifics especially if we’re the same age and it’s our first time meeting.” Seonghwa lifts the menu slightly to get a closer look at the variety of food and vegan options. “I’m sure if you’re friends with Hongjoong, I was kind of hoping we’ll get along over some time as well.” He looks over at Mingi before taking a sip of his coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Following his statement, Jongho only scoffed, still deciding on what to eat. It almost seemed as if it was aimed at Seonghwa who, to him, seemed too forward. The three of them turned their attention to Jongho and Hongjoong gently nudged the male’s shin from under the table with the point of his shoe. “What’s with these prices? Eggs Benedict over toasted sourdough with mashed avocado?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The oldest of the group let out an agitated sigh. “I’m paying. Eat whatever you want.” He assured the younger who only pursed his lips and nods in response, looking over the menu again to decide on what to eat. Hongjoong felt nervous knowing that Jongho was suspicious about having a new friend around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By this point, Seonghwa knew it was difficult to get past the younger but he also wasn’t going to push the other to like him. He was used to being disliked for his rather odd and distant personality. Nothing out of the ordinary for him. He was glad he got through to Mingi though; hopefully. “I’ll have a stack of oatmeal pancakes. I’m craving for something a little sweet.” Seonghwa wanted to lighten the mood a little, hoping to shift from the uncomfortable situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still nothing from Yunho?” Both Seonghwa and Mingi lifted their heads up to Hongjoong as he took a seat in between the two males. The three of them checked their phones simultaneously and neither received a text from the said male. Hongjoong sighed and decided to give him a call instead. “Let’s hope he’s not sleeping in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as he made the call, he could hear the faint, but familiar ringtone. He turned his head towards the direction of the sound coming from the entrance of the police station and noticed a sorrowful figure wearing a tight black shirt with a leather jacket. Following him was another male trailing behind, wearing a comfortable sweater, looking down at his phone. Hongjoong ended the call and got up from the seat to pull Yeosang into a tight hug, knowing that he was someone who was heavily affected. Yunho only waved at the two after putting his phone away in his pocket, still a little clueless as to why they were all at the police station. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything is going to be okay.” Hongjoong comforted the younger, tightening his hug around him, doing his best to hold back his tears. The male had too much to worry about at this time in his life; this just happens to be the tip of the iceberg that flicked the switch for him. “Yeosang-ah,” He cupped the side of the male’s face in his hands, caressing his cheeks in a loving manner. “I promise you that we are here to comfort and support you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang stared into the male’s eyes and he could tell that he had spent his time weeping over his friend. His eyes shifted to see Seonghwa looking right back at him and immediately felt a shiver spread through his entire body. His heart began to race, ears growing red at the tips, his soft pants trembling in fear. “Why is he here? Did he do it?” He asked softly under his breath, loud enough for Hongjoong to hear, still maintaining eye contact with the seated suspect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong glanced back to see the two exchanging eye-contact and immediately defused the situation by scooting over to block their view from each other. “He’s here for an interview as well.” He assured the tensed man who was still struggling to calm himself down. Clearly, his method to calm the young male wasn’t enough and he could see the lingering fear in his shifting eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All five of their attention adverts to a loud delinquent coming from the halls to the waiting area. Jongho didn’t seem to let go of his claim that Seonghwa was the one at fault. The rowdy teen managed to keep up with that energy until he saw the said male in front of his face again. His energy to become violent had died down and he was only left with utter frustration. He kept staring down at Seonghwa when he joined the circle of friends, giving him the side-eye before looking over at Yeosang. “When you give your statement, tell him everything that Seonghwa tried to do to you. It might help with their investigation.” He spoke loud enough for the entire group to hear before looking back at the seated culprit when he emphasised the last part. Once he was done, he left the circle and exited the police station in a fiery manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jongho!” Hongjoong shouted and Mingi instinctively stood up to follow the young man out. The oldest of the group focused on calming Yeosang, rubbing his arms in comfort. “You don’t have to say anything that’ll make you uncomfortable, okay? Just tell the truth, but not too much. I promise this will all be over soon.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Kim, is that Mr. Kang with you?” The familiar voice from behind called out. The two of them looked at the officer then back at each other. Hongjoong huffed and squeezed his arms to help relieve his tension. “Right this way, Mr. Kang.” He called the young male over and Yeosang followed through, giving Seonghwa one last side-eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong sighed, his hands combing through his hair, pacing around, unable to sit still. He wanted to save their friendship group but it was almost impossible now that two of the members were about to go against Seonghwa. “I don’t know what to do.” He talks to himself, feeling a little uneasy with his hands wanting to fidget with something. “I need a coke.” He walked off without another word to a vending machine to grab a can of soda. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yunho sat right next to Seonghwa in silence, patting the middle of the older’s back, giving him a comforting smile without a single word. He was always the type to remain quiet unless asked. He thought it might’ve been from childhood trauma or his past relationships; but he learnt to remain quiet when necessary, especially during times like these when everyone was emotionally vulnerable.</span>
</p><p><span>The agitated male came back shortly after, opening a can of the sweet drink and chugged half of its contents in one swig. The two seated males stared up at Hongjoong who was slightly shaken up; seeing it was understandable for him to behave this way. “Why isn’t he here yet? Does he even know what happened to his best friend?” The standing male muttered under his breath and</span> <span>gulped another large sip from his drink, looking out towards the entrance doors, hoping that the said male would arrive soon. </span></p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The living room was blaring with sounds from the video games and shouts from Jongho and Yeosang who were battling it out in Super Smash with a very quiet, smiling Yunho. With the three of them on the couch, Seonghwa sat on the lazy boy beside them and observed their gameplay. Yeosang would occasionally reach out for the bottle of soju and consumed it in large gulps as he played. His face gradually reddened the more he consumed and eventually became more vocal as time passed. It was up to the point that he started swearing at Jongho for throwing him off the edge of the platform. Of course, Jongho would usually be infuriated by the attacks but there were a number of people he would usually stay calm for, and that was Yeosang and Wooyoung. The young male laughs it off and teases Yeosang by tickling the older male’s neck as a joke which resulted in him flinching and whining in a cute manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys are all bullies.” He slurred, pointing his fingers at Jongho first then poked his arm, leaning onto Yunho’s side as he was getting rather tipsy. Yeosang was still eager to play but he was feeling himself grow warmer from the alcohol that was quick to circulate through his bloodstream. “It’s so fucking hot.” He grabbed Yunho’s hand and placed it on his cheek, his cold fingers treated as an aid to cool him down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong joined them in the living room and told them that dinner was ready; prompting Yunho and Jongho to get up from the couch rather quickly which ultimately let Yeosang fall onto his side on the couch, eventually passing out. The oldest of the group clicked his tongue and made his way around to Yeosang, crouching to his level to touch his cheek with his palm. “How could you drink without food?” He sighs and grabs a cushion on the other side of the couch and gently props his head on top for leverage. “Do you want Hyung to grab you some water?” The gentle nod was enough for him to get up when he was suddenly interrupted by Seonghwa who was making his way to Yeosang holding bottled water with a straw poking out of the uncapped mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just serve dinner. I’ll look after him for a bit and I’ll grab San.” Seonghwa suggested, giving the man a smile before turning his head back to focus on the drunk male drinking through the straw. Once Yeosang was done, he placed the bottle of water on the coffee table and gently caressed the younger man’s hair. “You’re so beautiful.” He whispered, admiring the male’s features. “It’s a shame your wealth status isn’t adequate enough.” He purses his lips, getting up from the floor and makes his way up the stairs to grab San from the bedroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang sat in his seat with his shoulders and back tensed, as if he was completely frozen, fingers curling around the rim of his shirt, rubbing the edge of his fingernails against the stitch underneath. He had kept his mouth shut ever since he took a seat, he didn’t know where to start or what to say; his head was lowered the entire time, staring at his own lap. The officer didn’t seem to mind it when Yeosang was taking his time to talk, he knew how traumatic it was to talk about the murderer and the victim. “Was Seonghwa ever mean or cruel to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the officer started speaking informally, Yeosang was still in the same position. He was trying his best to gather his thoughts. It was a difficult time for him and he knew that if he started speaking he would break down. As he thought about what to say, he immediately broke down into tears, sniffled a little and raised his hand slightly to gesture for a tissue. “Seonghwa called me beautiful but he said we can never be together because I’m not as rich as he is.” He started off, his voice cracked slightly; unable to hold back. “He is a nice person. I want to believe he is a nice person but he has been super cold lately.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cold? Could you give me an example?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang hiccuped a little and wiped away his tears with the folded tissues, head lifted slightly and eyes glued onto the edge of the table. “He rarely joins in conversations when we’re going around in a circle. Especially when it was my turn, he doesn’t even look at me when I speak. Whenever I text him, he replies hours later with really short replies.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about his romantic relationships?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seonghwa doesn’t publicly talk about his relationship, especially towards us anyway.” Yeosang grabbed a few more tissues, finally able to release his bottled feelings. He didn’t feel so stressed anymore. “Maybe that’s how I see it, I don’t know. Again, we’re not that close, but I know that he doesn’t have the proper skills to murder someone, but then who knows, right?” He lets out a half-assed scoff; shrugging, words spewing from his lips that had turned into rambles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing from you either,” The detective mumbled, finishing up his statement and realised that there was a similar theme with the other statements. “Have you ever had sexual intercourse with Seonghwa?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang immediately lifted his head up to look at the male, brows furrowed slightly and eyes narrowed, shaking his head slowly. “N-No. God no.” He stammered, completely appalled by the sudden accusation; scoffing lightly. He wasn’t going to fully admit that he had thought about sexual encounters with Seonghwa but he knew it was never going to happen. It was unusual the way the older man was talking to Yeosang, it felt as if his questions seemed to be gaslighting him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he try to make a move on you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but he did try to make a move on someone else the other night.” Yeosang purposely kept the name anonymous just in case it would give the officer a false lead. He was telling the truth, but not the entirety of it. He knew that if he had said too much, the friendship circle would be bound to split.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night was still fairly young. The rain had taken over the balcony but luckily for Seonghwa, he had taken in all the furniture that would’ve now been soaked and discoloured by the excessive moisture. The group had finished their dinner and were all curled up on the couch together watching a movie. Mingi was on the lazy boy, Wooyoung and Yeosang, who slightly sobered up, cuddled up with Yunho on either side, Hongjoong laid on his back on the longer side of the connected couch while Seonghwa and Jongho sat on either side of San. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were watching a horror movie attentively, all of them completely immersed into the film that no one paid attention to what was going on under the blankets shared by Seonghwa and San; except for Jongho. The youngest of the group knew exactly what was going on and he was getting rather annoyed and Seonghwa attempted to get a little more intimate with San under the soft material. Not only the fact that they were trying to do something so lewd around his friends but the way San was rejecting him; pushing his hands away, eventually causing the vulnerable male to press up against Jongho’s side and tug on the blankets. He was starting to get rather annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This continued on all throughout the movie whenever there was dialogue or a lot of background noise present. They had yet to reach the climax of the movie, but Jongho immediately got up and out of his seat after lifting away the blanket. He turned to look down at Seonghwa, who quickly retracted his hand as the younger male was standing right in front of him with balled fists. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough!” His angered voice immediately made heads turn to the sudden commotion. Hongjoong was quick to react so he stood up and tried to hold Jongho back with his arm over Jongho’s chest, pushing him back. The young man had attempted to injure Seonghwa once before and if it were to happen again, it would happen for real. Seonghwa got out of his seat and narrowed his eyes at the male, clenching his jaw but showed no signs of wanting to fight back. He was unfazed by it all, knowing that Jongho wasn’t ever going to hit him, especially in front of his friends. It was as if the man was trying to taunt him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jongho come sit next to me.” Hongjoong suggested, wanting to take his arms and lead him to the other side of the couch. Seonghwa sat in his seat once again and wanted to focus on the movie. Jongho had only pretended to calm down for the few moments and took a few steps to follow Hongjoong but within seconds he swung right in the middle of Seonghwa’s face, immediately knocking his head back. San and Wooyoung, who sat on either side, both gasped but didn’t know what to do; they were terrified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi immediately hopped out of his seat to restrain Jongho, his hands holding the younger’s arms back. Yunho didn’t want to interfere so he sat still and looked over at the dazed Seonghwa who had almost completely knocked out, his nose trickling with blood, leaning against the couch with his head still tilted back over the edge of the cushion. For the first time, Seonghwa had shed a tear. His raw emotions had finally been exposed in front of his friends, he felt vulnerable. San grabbed a handful of tissues for Seonghwa to temporarily clean himself up. “You fucking prick! You’re just a fucking rapist.” Jongho exclaimed, wanting to keep throwing punches at the defeated man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang, who was still slightly drunk had cried out of fear as the scene unfolds. He was unable to control his emotions so he had clung onto Yunho’s side, staining his shirt with his tears. Hongjoong tried his best to revert Jongho’s attention towards him instead to calm him down. He held the side of his face to make him focus, looking straight into his eyes. “You need to calm down. I’ll talk to Seonghwa. No more fistfights.” Hongjoong told the male who soon cooled off by a sliver, panting softly as he looked back at Seonghwa who was trying to be comforted by San. The entire scene that unfolded in front of him made his throat tighten and triggered his gag reflex just from witnessing how close they were before looking over at Wooyoung who was on the verge of tears, shaking his head slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as he wanted to help Wooyoung at the moment, he was not in the right state of mind to do anything. Jongho was soon released from Mingi, fixing up his shirt and pointed a threatening finger at the injured male who only stared back with tears welled in his eyes but brows furrowed in frustration and anger. “You’re one weird motherfucker. I don’t fucking know what’s up with you but you’re fucked in the head.” He insults him one more time before leaving the living room, grabbing his jacket off the coat rack. Mingi followed as Hongjoong aided Seonghwa to his injuries. To no avail, Jongho wasn’t going to come back and Mingi figured that it was for the best. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jongho, you really shouldn’t be smoking so close to the stairs. People come and go through this walkway, you know.” Mingi scrunches his nose up slightly as the younger male dragged the pungent stick between his fingers. “You’re not really setting a good example here either.” Jongho continued to ignore Mingi, standing at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the station. The young man had been smoking since the day he shared one with a friend in high school and ever since then, he could never go a day without lighting one up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, if Seonghwa gets to walk free for committing the crime, I’ll beat him up. I’ll turn him into a cripple.” He tapped the side of the cigarette, letting the ashes sprinkle onto the dark pavement beneath him. “Even though I was never too close to his lover boy, I don’t think murder is the best solution. Torture is much better.” He butted the finished cigarette and disposed of it in the little disposal unit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi was getting rather fidgety with his hands in the pocket of his down jacket. “I really don’t think you should be saying any of that right now. We’re in front of a police station if you didn’t know.” He lets out a gentle cough, still suffocating from the second-hand smoke despite already being outside. “Can we just go back inside? We need to support each other right now so save your hate for Seonghwa for another time. Hongjoong needs us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His pungent fingers brushed through his two-day-old, greasy hair as he groaned in frustration. Mingi had known that mentioning Hongjoong into an argument would trigger Jongho to calm down from his meltdowns. “Fine.” He spoke sarcastically, walking straight past Mingi to make his way back to the police station. The taller male followed shortly behind and just as soon as he was about to take the stairs up, he noticed a familiar figure walk towards the stairs. Mingi felt his entire body grow stiff, breath caught up in his throat and his hands pulled out of the pockets. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“J-Jongho,” He called out for the male behind him who was just about to walk right in. The younger turned around in frustration and looked towards Mingi and immediately recognised the man walking towards the stairs. The identity of the person coming towards them wasn’t the concerning part, it was more about the physical appearance of the person; the aura, the energy was what shook them out of place, and the dark bloodstains that had dried upon his sleeves around his wrist. As the male walked towards Mingi, he began to stumble and was close to falling on the steps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi was quick to react, holding the man and held him back up to a standing position. Jongho rushed into the station again and informed the members who he saw outside. Mingi lifted up his sleeve to show his cut wounds around his wrist that had dried up already but were never cleaned. “Why haven’t you cleaned this up yet?” Mingi knew exactly how to deal with people who suffered from depression and anxiety and a way to handle it was to hold back on any remarks such as </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Why did you do this?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You shouldn’t have done this.”, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but his focus on getting the help they needed. “It’s going to get dirt-“ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If Seonghwa is in there, I don’t want to see him.” The male interrupted, lifting his head up to look at Mingi with the most pain-filled eyes he had ever seen, plump lips that were parted from his panting and as if on cue, the rest of the group members exited the station at the top, witnessing the duo standing at the bottom of the stairs. Seonghwa had made eye contact with the man and all the blood had drained out of his face; seeing him in the state that he was in made his throat dry up. “Get that man out of my fucking sight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There was always some tension between the two of them though,” Jongho stated, yawning a little from how bored he was with the procedure. The officer looked at the young man with a raised brow, insinuating to go into detail. He shrugged and looked away, wetting his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. “It’s almost as if Seonghwa always wanted to sleep with him, but he obviously didn’t want it. That’s what I’ve been told anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Seonghwa is very assertive but was he ever too forward or aggressive, possessive maybe?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aggressive? No, we had a fistfight but he never threw any punches. Even if he did, they were always very weak and stale punches, anyway.” The young delinquent got up from his seat to stretch, raising his arms above his head. “That’s all I have to sa-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sit down.” The officer instructed with his stern voice as his eyes were locked onto the screen of his desktop. Jongho immediately sat back in his seat and let out an exaggerated groan, leaning back in his chair with his head hung back, exposing his vulnerable neck. “Did you hear or see anyone after you left that night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold still,” Hongjoong instructed the injured man. He had busted his lip and he kept having nosebleeds from constantly touching it. “And stop rubbing your nose. It’s going to get worse.” The older man hissed at Seonghwa who rolled his eyes and leaned against the couch next to San who was still in utter shock. The injured male had already cleaned up over the sink but the bleeding hadn’t stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the lazy boy was a snuggled Yeosang covered in a light blanket, shivering with a half-empty bottle of soju held close to his chest. He was fearful every time there was slight tension or violent behaviour but he struggled to understand how the other members weren’t as terrified as him; especially with San, who didn’t seem to be bothered that there was an injured man right next to him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wooyoung was still in a daze, refusing to believe that there had been tension and violence between the two of them. All of the anger and frustration that he had bottled up had finally burst; he lost all motivation and purpose to stay the night at Seonghwa’s residence so he got up from his seat in a panicked manner, grabbed his jacket off the armrest of a single lounge chair and grabbed his belongings off the marble coffee table. Yeosang noticed how San was immediately alerted when Wooyoung got up, causing him to focus on the two of them heading towards the door. Their shouting was inaudible but he could hear the hurt and anger towards each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m talking to you. Hey!” Wooyoung continued to ignore San and made his way to the door, slipping on his shoes before his arm was pulled back violently. “Talk to me!” San exclaimed, still sounding a little nasally from the bandages and the swelling from his rhinoplasty. “Stay here for the night, please?” His voice softened, not wanting Wooyoung to leave so he quickly held his hand in a comforting manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave me the fuck alone!” Wooyoung shouted back at the man, pulling his arm back and scowled at the man in front of him, pushing him back into the penthouse. “Quit pretending like you care. I’m sick of you putting up this act, manipulating me to stay back for you. I’m over it, San. We can’t be friends anymore.” Wooyoung stepped out of the penthouse, slamming the door behind him to express his anger before making his way down in hopes to catch up with Jongho. As he left the lobby, he could see Jongho was sitting on his motorbike as Mingi stood under the covers right outside the automatic doors. He walked straight past Mingi and towards Jongho, who handed him a helmet to put on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wooyoung, get back inside!” Mingi exclaimed at him in panic through the pouring rain, pointing back into the lobby of the complex. Wooyoung ignored the tall male and strapped the buckle under his chin to make sure it was on securely before seating himself behind Jongho and wrapped his arms around the young man’s torso. Without hesitation, Jongho sped off into the streets despite the downpour, droplets of water splattered lightly over the shield of his full-face helmet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They just left and we haven’t seen or spoken to them since that night,” Mingi explained. “I left in the morning as soon as I got up.” The male broke eye contact with the officer to look down at the opened folder in front of him, seeing photos of the murder scene that sent cold shivers throughout his body. He lowered his head and pressed his balled fist against his lips, closing his eyes. He was reliving the entire night again and how the murder only took place within the twenty-four hours they were there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the officer had taken in some mental notes, he asked, “Anything else happened before the murder?” Mingi shook his head slowly, still looking down in hesitation. Reliving that night and the things that followed made him feel nauseous, his stomach threatening to release its contents. He gave himself a few more seconds to calm himself down, taking deep and slow breaths at a time. “You all right, kid?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the night soon came to a close, Mingi was the only one left to accompany Seonghwa. Hongjoong had plans early in the morning while the others had work the next day. The night felt a little bitter after the whole incident. Two members of the group were unreachable and it worried Mingi the most. Seonghwa invited the younger man to join in the study for a bit of wine and chatter. It was his first time seeing the elaborate yet cozy area of the penthouse with dark carpeted floors and walls of bookshelves filled with books and texts that had been brought down to him from older generations. In the middle of the room was a dark oak table decorated with souvenirs and desk toys, as well as a desktop computer for work purposes. Mingi grabbed a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk while Seonghwa sat back in his leather desk chair after setting his glass of wine on the coaster on his table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve been friends for a really long time and it feels like we’ve been friends since birth.” Seonghwa started off as Mingi continued to sip on his wine occasionally. “I have a lot of trust and faith towards you, Mingi. I know you’re always very loyal towards me, of course.” The other man nodded slowly, agreeing with his words and lowered the glass a little, resting his arm on the armrest of his seat. “You’re in the final few months of your degree now and we both know that you are very skilled and talented, motivated and driven with a passion for justice. Let’s test those skills, shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older reached into his desk to grab a small double-bagged ziplock plastic of a single round pill and tossed it on his desk in front of Mingi. The taller man placed his glass of wine on the desk as well, reaching out to lift up the small packet to examine the pill. It all clicked in his head within a second; it was a cyanide pill. The alcohol he had consumed was going to prevent him from going home so he was bound to stay the night, and the events that happened that night served a purpose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi finally understood, checking his watch to take note of the time that read one in the morning. “Give him the pill with his orange juice and leave,” Mingi mutters under his breath, slipping it in the pocket of his jeans. It was the perfect setup. Everyone’s DNA was scattered all over Seonghwa’s home. Everyone was on the couch, shared food and alcohol together. “You really want me to kill him?” Mingi spoke in a soft whisper and stared up at him with a slightly worried expression in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The male closed the drawer of his desk before standing up once again, striding over to the array of books he had on the shelves. He pulled out one of the encyclopedias which had a hollow centre containing a thick wad of rolled-up cash. He closed up the book and set it on the shelf again before handing it over to Mingi. He had never seen such a thick stash of hundreds in his hands before and it was almost overwhelming, to say the least. “That’s ten-thousand grand there. A whole semester’s worth of classes, to put into perspective. There will be more after you get rid of him. We made a deal, remember?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Running his thumb along the edge of the cash, he instantly grew with power and greed that devoured his morals and replaced it with ego and desperation. Mingi shoved the roll of cash in the pocket of his jacket and zipped it up, patting his hand over the money. “I’ll do it tomorrow morning as we discussed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>✫</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually not too close with any of them, to be quite honest.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yunho sat in the interrogation room in silence, looking right up at the detective in front of him. He stared at the detective in a daze; looking as though he was lost and wasn’t present in the room. The older man sighed in defeat and opened up the folder to show the photos of the crime scene. “Does this not bother you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yunho’s eyes slowly trailed down to the photograph on the table, blinking and tilting his head slightly in confusion. He shook his head and scratched the side of his scalp. “I watch too many gore movies all the time. It doesn’t bother me.” It was obvious that he had dealt with a lot of trauma as a young child but he had become conditioned to the sight of blood and mutilations. There was a reason for his mute behaviour and it was derived from his father telling his younger sibling and himself to stay quiet, watching his mother be brutally beaten by the older man. Luckily for Yunho, he never developed any post-traumatic stress disorder nor did he inherit his father’s toxic behaviour. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Jung, your friend was murdered in his boyfriend’s home and you’re not bothered by it?” Yunho shook his head again, raising his brows slightly as he fidgeted in his seat; he didn’t even realise that the two of them were dating. His body language hadn’t shown any signs of nervousness or irritability; his eyes weren’t jittering, his feet were stable, arms on the table with his fingers intertwined. The detectives knew about Yunho’s history when they interviewed him as a kid, he was extremely mute. His attention wasn’t in the room and his mind was off somewhere else. He wasn’t dumb, but he was just really good at keeping quiet. Despite his quiet nature, miracles worked its wonders for him and with time, evidence and enough witness accounts from neighbours, his father was finally arrested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yunho became a lot more vocal as he matured into an adult, and he could easily switch off his attention for some conversations and focus on his work or other things that didn’t have to do with him. In this instance, he developed guilt. His friends were people who had allowed him to appreciate love and compassion towards each other, so after realising that one of them had passed, he felt it in his chest but failed to express it. “I-” Yunho started, clearing his throat as it was his first time starting the topic. “I saw bruises on Wooyoung’s chest. I was driving him to school and he was changing in my car because he was late and I saw it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The detective leaned forward with his arms on the table, wanting to engage in the conversation. “Bruises. Not love bites or marks?” He whispered, looking into Yunho’s eyes that stared down at the table, slowly lowering his head in defeat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mother had the same exact marks. Those were bruises.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. III</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seonghwa became wealthy from the day he was born and raised in a well-respected wealthy family with his father, mother, two older and three younger siblings. The middle child curse was real in his case and he believed every single aspect of it. Growing up, his parents rarely paid attention to his health and growth as he spent his time with a lot of children's toys and books, and was cared for by the nannies and his personal butler that lived with them. He never socialised with any of his siblings since their age gap was at least six to eight years; his parents started conceiving at a young age. The years apart made it difficult for him to trust his older siblings as they always bullied him and played pranks on him since he was the youngest for the first decade of his life. </p><p>By the time he was a teenager, he always had his nose in books and his obsession over thickly bound papers filled with knowledge began. He had always found himself involved in fantasy books as well as crime fiction but with his parents' lack of awareness, it never became a concern when he had a big collection of fictional stories. His behaviour wasn’t much of a concern either with the way he was anti-social with the other students and teachers; he was just seen as someone who was very quiet and focused on his studies. His older siblings had migrated to different countries and each of them had their own families so the bullying had stopped and he had become the oldest sibling in the household. He knew he had become the next CEO to take over his father’s business but he had his own plans. He wanted to use his intelligence for forensic science and law. </p><p>The idea of monogamous dating made him weary but even the slightest thought about polyamorous relationships started a spark in him that never fused out. Seonghwa was someone who was rather picky with his partners; he only favoured those with the same wealth status or higher. Hence, the idea of dating Hongjoong (and only Hongjoong) fueled him so much where all he wanted was to have the older man in his life even if it was going to a monogamous relationship; he was attracted to wealth. He knew he wasn’t able to date Hongjoong so he was constantly switching between Wooyoung and San like a yo-yo, he needed that distraction from the older man. Neither of them were like Hongjoong, even with the two of them combined it was never as strong as his love for him. </p><p>Hongjoong stood atop of the stairs, turning his head to look at panicked Seonghwa with a pleading expression, brows knitted upwards and his eyes squinted up slightly. When almost half of the group were already against Seonghwa with their hearts fired with anger. “Seonghwa, please look at me.” The older man’s voice was soft and raspy, unable to speak properly. “Did you do it?”</p><p>The suspected man shook his head and had his focus on the man at the bottom of the stairs who continued to shout profanities and point fingers up at him, insulting the dark-haired man. “I didn’t.” He turned his head to look at the man with an apologetic expression. “I promise you I didn’t do it.” He had displayed his more sincere expression and Hongjoong knew whenever he lied; Seonghwa had never lied to him. </p><p>Hongjoong didn’t want to press further so he went ahead to diffuse the situation, rushing down the steps to the weeping man who had knelt on the ground with his head hung low, his cries could be heard from inside the building. This alerted Yeosang when he stepped out to see his friend become a mess on the ground. He frowned and pushed past Seonghwa’s side on the way down to help and console his friend.</p><p>Jongho, on the other hand, grabbed the male’s shirt from the front and shook him as a threat. “What did you do to him? Why the fuck is he crying like that? Did you want to rape him again? Is that fucking it?” Seonghwa relaxed his expression, knowing that their fight wasn’t going to go anywhere so he looked at the younger man with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows; he didn’t even bother to fight back. </p><p>The two of them were in front of a police station and it was obvious that he wasn’t going to throw punches, hence Seonghwa didn’t fear the man. “Go ahead. Punch me.” The man threatens through his clenched teeth, his hands balled into a tight fist as well but he didn’t plan on hitting the younger male at all. “Do it in front of the officers.” He lowered his voice, definitely encouraging the man to throw the first punch. </p><p>Mingi saw the two wanted to rip each other’s head off so he rushed up the stairs after shouting at them, skipping a few steps to break up the two, getting in between and facing Jongho. “Quit trying to hit people! Especially in front of the police station.” He reminded the younger man before turning back to look at Seonghwa, a little riled up from rushing up the stairs and panicked that the two were going to fight again. </p><p>Jongho noticed the way that Mingi had looked at Seonghwa and felt his blood rush; he felt defeated. It was as if his friend had taken sides with the enemy and Jongho couldn’t see any of them anymore. “Fuck this. I’m done. I can’t be in the same place as that fucker right now.” Jongho informed as he made his way downstairs, walking past the weeping male and paid no attention to how hurt he was. His blood was boiling, he wanted to scream and throw things around to release his anger. Before Mingi and Hongjoong could stop him, he had already left the scene and that was the last anyone had ever seen or heard of him.</p><p>✫</p><p>There was something about midnights in the summer that felt so reminiscent and nostalgic. Mingi would always enjoy sitting in the balcony of his home back when he lived with his parents during high school. His parents lived in a rural area away from the city (hence Mingi had to take a long commute to school every single day), so the air was fresh and the sky wasn’t polluted by the lights. It wasn’t too cold either, nor was it too hot; the weather was perfect even during the evenings. He was rather surprised when Seonghwa had driven both of them to a lookout on a warm summer night with the two of them sitting on the roof of his car looking over the city lights. </p><p>“Feels like home, doesn’t it?” Seonghwa asked, letting out a soft sigh and admired the view. “You should catch flights on a clear evening if you ever plan to travel by plane, the view is magnificent.” He advised, resting a hand on the other man’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. The two of them had acquainted themselves comfortably after a year of seeing each other constantly with Hongjoong. </p><p>Mingi felt extremely safe as he felt like he was back at home with his parents and the family dog again. He enjoyed the light breeze and the stars that shined directly above him. It had been a while since he stared up at the clear sky; it felt so surreal. “Thank you for taking me here.” He showed his gratitude in his voice, letting out a soft sigh as he was trying to hold back his tears. “Feels good to come here after my exams.” </p><p>“Anything to make my best friend happy.” He comforts the male with a gentle scratch behind the other’s head. “You know I love you, right?” He reminded the male before pulling his hand back to continue admiring the scene. Mingi knew that the male spoke in a platonic manner; that wasn’t the issue. Now he was struggling to say it back. Mingi was someone who didn’t know how to deal with expressing his emotions to other people besides a number of people who caught him displaying his anger or sorrow. </p><p>Mingi remained quiet and hummed in response instead, nodding his head a little. He was grateful for having Seonghwa around him; the man was wise and had his morals straight. He was always learning so much about the elegant and wealthy lifestyle that he craved. “You know me too well, Seonghwa. Thank you.” That was all he managed to say to show his gratitude even though they’ve been comfortable for a long time. </p><p>“I know it’s hard for you to say it back, but I have a proposition for you to prove that you truly feel the same way.” Seonghwa started, sitting up properly and faced the man even though it was impossible for them to see each other’s faces. “I figured that this is the only place we can talk about stuff like this.” The man lowered his head, clearing his throat and gathered his confidence to speak.  “I want to get rid of San.”</p><p>Mingi’s fight or flight mode had switched on so quickly and struggled to make a choice. He trusted Seonghwa, but there was also a part of him that feared Seonghwa would force his plan onto Mingi. He tried his best to push away all of his thoughts; he trusts this man. There has to be a reason why he asked him; specifically him. “But why San? Why me?” </p><p>The older male grabbed his phone that sat beside him and showed him the screenshot of text messages and voice messages. “He threatened to sue me for more than half of my assets for something I did a while back and he has all the evidence needed to make me look guilty.” For almost two years of his healthy relationship with San, he had always been on the violent side with the best friend instead. All of the anger he had pent up impacted Wooyoung mentally, physically and emotionally. Seonghwa was apathetic towards Wooyoung for reasons he never wanted to admit or manifest. “And you, Mingi. You’re very loyal to Hongjoong as you are to me. Except, he has a good heart.” Of course, he wasn’t planning to admit that he didn’t possess a warm, loving heart. </p><p>“What’s in it for me?” Mingi snapped. It didn’t matter what the motive was; he only wished to be paid and rewarded for doing the deed. Mingi was at a point in his life where he was desperate for anything; preferably money to pay off his school loans that weren’t covered by his scholarship, buy a new apartment and a new car. </p><p>Seonghwa huffed and held onto the male’s forearms, gripping on to him for comfort and to get his attention. “A new apartment just like mine but of course not as big, a new car and whatever electronic items you want whether it’d be a new computer, phone; you name it.” And with that, Mingi was instantly sold on the offer. </p><p>“What about rent?” </p><p>“Utility bills are the only thing you’ll have to pay for. By the time you finish with your degree and secure yourself a job, you’ll be able to save up your own cash. You seem to have good money management and you’re well respected so any law firm could hire you as their intern. I can refer you to a few firms.” Seonghwa assured the man, rubbing his arm over his long-sleeved shirt. The silence that enveloped them concerned him a little. “I already have it all planned. Leave it up to me, all you have to do is follow instructions.” </p><p> “I’ll do it.” Mingi responded quickly, confident that the male had it all under control. They both trusted each other and both of their needs had to be met. Mingi extended his hand out for the other to shake and Seonghwa gladly shook it firmly. “This is only between us, right? Hongjoong doesn’t know?” </p><p>“Of course not. He’s too much of a good boy and he has everything he’s ever wanted. You, Mingi, you’re driven by the reward that’ll be given to you. You’ll be doing the right thing. San is way too into himself to be alive right now.” Although Seonghwa was still laughing; amused that his plan was going to happen, Mingi was still rather timid but he was confident with the skills he acquired; plus with Seonghwa’s guidance, he could fulfil his wishes. “Anyway, we shouldn’t stay out for too long. We have a dinner party to host in about fifteen hours or so. Let’s go.” </p><p>✫</p><p>“Of course I love him. I love him so much.” Wooyoung cried out in his seat that six other members had sat in before him. The young, dusty-blond haired male couldn’t sit still in his seat; he was shivering in fear, his tears failed to stop since he had found out about the tragedy and his speech was constantly disrupted by his cries. His wrists had been bandaged up and cleaned but the dried blood on the sleeve of his sweater now rolled up to his forearms that displayed more of his healed cuts. </p><p>The officer had never witnessed so much emotion coming from a young man that it was impossible for him to ask further questions. He made eye contact with the other officer who stood by the door in which he shrugged and shook his head lightly. The seated male sighed a little and swivelled in his seat slightly to face the sobbing male. “‘Him’ as in-“ </p><p>“San! I’m talking about San!” Wooyoung screamed, shouting at the officer; a little frustrated that he wasn’t able to know what he was thinking. “I don’t care about Seonghwa. Fuck Seonghwa, he should never have joined our group! All this shit started ever since he joined.” The male was now furious rather than being upset. He angrily tossed the light, scrunched up tissue to the side out of anger and grabbed another handful of tissues to fold up and wipe away his stray tears. </p><p>“Can we talk about your relationship with Seonghwa and San?” Wooyoung closed his eyes for the moment after the officer had asked him, thinking about the time prior to how they met and how it was just the two of them enjoying their lavish lifestyle until Seonghwa intervened and had taken San away. The opportunities for Wooyoung to join their polyamorous, three-person relationship intrigued him but also made him fear the newcomer. It was kept as a secret that the three of them had their own fun together and enjoyed their playful session together. The only third party who knew about their relationship was Jongho and Mingi; informed by Wooyoung and Seonghwa respectively. </p><p>Wooyoung’s feelings were only dedicated to San and everything they did was all for him; even if he was physically abused. “I knew San since high school and we’ve been friends ever since. San met Seonghwa on New Year’s eve and I remember arriving at the party with him but I went home with-” </p><p>“Hongjoong?” Wooyoung stiffened in his seat and stared up at the man who knew the backstory. It was something that he feared the entire group would know; especially Seonghwa. “Hongjoong told me. You didn’t want to tell anyone. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” He assured the male, which made Wooyoung sigh shakily in relief. If Seonghwa had found out, he would’ve been skinned alive; he knew the man was in love with Hongjoong. </p><p>“And Seonghwa doesn’t talk about himself much. He’s closer to Hongjoong but the context of their conversations are quite private, I think. We just know the basic things like his education, parents, date of birth; things that friends would know about each other.” Wooyoung was now in deep thought. He wondered if there was something that Seonghwa was hiding from the entire group hence his silence; the thought alone made him worry. “Come to think of it, the only thing I know about him was his body and the aura he has during sex.” </p><p>“And how does that make you feel?” </p><p>Wooyoung felt like he was in therapy once again with a simple question, he was stumped. How did he actually feel about all of the things he had experienced with the two of them? This led to a number of thoughts piling up in his mind that made him question his own morals. “It makes me feel useless.” He confesses. “Maybe I was only used for sexual purposes; a punching bag. I just wanted to do whatever I could with San but Seonghwa just had to be in the picture, and I hate everything about that.” The boy cried. </p><p>“So then why would Seonghwa murder your best friend? Did something happen between them?” </p><p>The male had grabbed more tissues and at this point, the tissue box was starting to run out. “They were fine the night we were all together. I don’t remember San sending me texts or anything that was alarming so I have no idea. I don’t know anything.” He felt defeated that he rests his arms on the edge of the table with his head on his forearms. </p><p>✫</p><p>With the entire group was waiting inside the police station, neither of them have heard a single thing from Jongho who was basically unreachable. Each and every one of the members was definitely shaken up by Wooyoung’s sudden appearance at the police station. Hongjoong was the one who held a lot of guilt in his heart for what their group had become. What started off as a wonderful circle of people with different lifestyles and experiences had ended with dire unforeseen circumstances; and the fact that one of them was a potential suspect. </p><p>They had seen the photos and refused to believe that their friend had passed in the past twenty-four hours. The gruesome scene of San laying on his side of the bed in Seonghwa’s room, covered in deep stab wounds, bedsheets and walls splattered with blood that soaked into the mattress through the bed-frame. San’s body wasn’t completely mutilated but his torso had way too many lacerations that it had become one large open wound; his abdomen completely exposed. The fear in his eyes was something that imprinted into every single person’s mind; the horror left on his face as his entire existence slowly left his body. </p><p>When Wooyoung joined the group, he had looked worse than before, his face still puffy, eyes reddened from all the tears and tissues, he rushed over to Hongjoong who had immediately pulled him into a tight hug, resting his chin on his shoulder as he wept. Seonghwa was crushed after seeing the older male comfort Wooyoung the way he wanted to be comforted. It didn’t matter how long they’ve been friends for, Seonghwa had never experienced that warm comfort from Hongjoong. With every hug they shared, he realised that after seeing the two, his love could never intertwine with the older male’s.</p><p>“Gentlemen,” The officer approached the circle which grabbed all of their attention, standing up to wait for further instructions “We’ve received enough information from each person here as we’re still investigating. We’ll call you in when we need you boys again.” He dismissed them and proceeded to go back to work as the boys remained quiet. None of them wanted to talk or discuss the murder any further as it was all too much for them that day, especially for Wooyoung.</p><p>Hongjoong gathered the group and looked at every single member with a sorrowed expression. “Seonghwa, you stay with me until you get your apartment back. Yunho, accompany Wooyoung and don’t leave him alone. Mingi and Yeosang, you boys good to go?” They each nodded in approval, exchanging glances with each other but the sharp look that Wooyoung sent to Seonghwa’s direction, narrowing his eyes before stepping out of the circle to exit and everyone followed suit, disappearing in different directions.</p><p>Mingi returned to his apartment, greeted by his neighbours' muffled yelling and shouting from the floor above, the cluttered and dull apartment he lived in was not an ideal place for him at that time. He was feeling rather sickly from being outside all day and just from the entire event that unravelled in the morning so he had a quick shower and went straight to bed in the late afternoon, staring at the ceiling with his forearm resting on his forehead. He was lost in his thoughts as to how the events occurred that he started to experience a headache so he slowly got out of bed to grab his medication and cold water from the fridge. When he opened the door, he noticed the packet on the little shelf, realizing that he was in possession of the drug. He pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and sucks on the lower tier harshly. He grabbed his painkiller medication instead and downed it with cold water before quickly grabbing his phone to call Seonghwa. </p><p>Seonghwa had planned to stay at Hongjoong’s residence for an indefinite amount of time. He didn’t mind wearing the older male’s clothes nor did he mind being cared for by the male since it was something he needed anyway. As he was comfortable in his guest bed with Hongjoong sitting on the edge of the bed with his legs crossed, he received a phone call from Mingi which he hesitated to pick up. He answered and slowly sat up on the bed. He tried to keep his face as vague and stoic as possible, eyes completely avoiding Hongjoong’s before getting out of bed and ended the call.</p><p>When the older arrived at Mingi’s apartment, the two of them sat on the bed since he couldn’t afford a couch. Seonghwa noticed the packet in Mingi’s hand but he didn’t question anything of it yet so he waits for him to speak. Mingi handed the small drug, lowering his head in shame and felt disappointment in himself that he couldn’t fulfil Seonghwa’s wishes. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>A mixture of shock and confusion plastered over Seonghwa’s face, brows tensed, jaw dropped slightly and his eyes widened. He scoffed lightly, shaking his head as he took the packet from Mingi, examining it; definitely the same one he had given. “You didn’t?” He whispered, looking back up at Mingi again who had completely broken down with his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth. “You didn’t kill him?” That night, Mingi was meant to give San the cyanide pill, disguising it as a hangover pill with a glass of orange juice, but their plan had completely backfired.</p><p>He shook his head in response and let out a soft whimper, brushing his fingers through his hair before tugging on it tightly. “He was already dead by the time I saw him upstairs. I saw the blood trails and his body on the bed, exactly like the photos.” He covered his face to wipe away the tears, sniffling as he shook his head. “I didn’t kill him.”</p><p>✫</p><p>By the time it was midday, Mingi had woken up from his slumber in the living room of Seonghwa’s penthouse with a throbbing headache and a sore back. He pushed himself off the couch to sit properly and rubbed his eyes with the ball of his palm. Seonghwa had already gone to school as planned and Mingi was left to do dirty deeds. He grabbed his phone on the coffee table and checked the time, “Shit.” He cursed under his breath before thrashing the thin blanket off of his lap and made his way upstairs to where San was sleeping. </p><p>As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he noticed droplets of blood staining the white marbled floors, his face went pale and he had a hunch that it didn’t go to plan; everything had suddenly slowed down. The tall male carefully stepped around the blood trail that led to San’s shared bedroom with Seonghwa and by the time he reached the door, he was overwhelmed by the taste of oxidized blood in the air. He could see a body that laid in a crimson pool which had dripped over the edge of the bed onto the carpet. Mingi had seen a lot of dead bodies in his studies but to see his friend in that position, he wasn’t able to control his emotions. The hand that gripped onto his phone trembled as he dialled Seonghwa, lips quivering as he paced himself back and carefully made his way downstairs with his eyes struggling to focus on the steps.</p><p>“I-It’s been done.” He lied as he rushed to the entrance door with his jacket off the coat backrest of the couch and pants softly as he speed-walked to the elevator. Seonghwa only praised him on the phone before abruptly ending the call, leaving Mingi alone with his own thoughts in the elevator. Mingi’s breath hitched, avoiding eye contact with the cameras just so they couldn’t read his facial expressions. He reached his hand into the pocket of his jeans and held the small packet tightly in his hand. The male took it out and carefully placed it in the zipped jacket of his pocket before heading out of the building to his motorbike. He had to get out of the building as quickly as he could; Seonghwa had it planned to come home, see the slowly decaying body, and nonchalantly call the police with a blank expression until they arrived.</p><p>Mingi, on the other hand, had tears trickling down his cheek under the helmet as he sped down the busy road to go back home. He didn’t expect to see so much gore in the morning and it made him feel sick to the stomach which led him to skip meals. Mingi had been overwhelmed by guilt over something he didn’t do. </p><p>✫ </p><p>“I’m going to go wash up real quick. Could you answer the door when food comes?” Wooyoung sat up from the couch and smiled down at Yunho who only nodded and focused his eyes on the television. The shorter man made his way to his bedroom, pretending to grab his clothes but grabbed a small, hand-written note instead and left it on his bedside table. Luckily for the layout of his apartment, the living room was far off from the bedroom area so Yunho was unable to see Wooyoung walk into the bathroom with nothing but the clothes on his back. </p><p>The day that had unfolded went according to his plan that made Seonghwa the prime suspect; the most hated in the group. The only person who was on his side and saved him from the madness was Jongho on the night of the party. But he had fallen deeper into depression much quicker than he had thought. His self-harm cuts from the morning were not enough to make up for his heartache. He felt lonely once again; the dynamic duo was no more. </p><p>Wooyoung filled the bath up with hot water and stripped down to the nude. He stared at himself in the mirror, tracing his fingertips along his bruises and marks left on his skin from a few nights ago. Recently, the sex had become violent but it was only aimed towards Wooyoung, not San. There were nights where Seonghwa had forced himself onto the younger with aggression and the only way to make Wooyoung keep quiet was to knock him out or sedate him. The young man refused to remember all the times Seonghwa had physically hurt him just to keep their circle close together. He sacrificed his body, emotions and mental health for the sake of everyone else’s happiness. The only man he could depend on was Jongho who had been with him throughout the entire mess; including the moment when he dropped him off that fateful morning. </p><p>He broke down into tears, staring down at his tainted skin; he no longer felt beautiful. He cringed the more he looked at his skin and he had enough. He grabbed a small razor blade that was taped on the underside of the counter drawers before stepping into the bath, holding the sharp blade in his palm lightly, resting his head on the edge of the tub. The hot, steaming water of the bath relaxed him while holding onto the razor blade in his hand, wanting to slow down his heart rate as the water surrounded him. </p><p>He was filled with so much frustration and sadness. The fact that he was never able to fully show San how much he loved him. Even if he was trying his best, it never felt enough. He tried to get rid of every moment he saw San with Seonghwa which ultimately led to a deeper memory hidden in the back of his head. The image of San begging and crying for help, gripping onto Wooyoung’s arms to get him to stop was the last thing Wooyoung remembered about him. He tried his best to bury those images with flashbacks of the time they were in high school together, hand-in-hand troublemakers of their class, a dynamic duo; partners in crime. He submerged the razor into the water and pierced the edge of the blade along the length of his thighs, hitting a major artery; blood diffusing into the warm water that had slowly darkened with deep red. He was numb to the pain so he was smiling lightly, staring up at the white ceiling as memories of San filled his mind; his smile, his joyful personality and his cute face. </p><p>Wooyoung smiled sadly, almost laughing as tears trickled down his face, crying out his name; wheezing as he choked on his tears, his eyes closed and his flashbacks became more vivid. They were on the beach watching the sunset together and San was out in front of him with his hand extended. Wooyoung moved his hand over to the other thigh and made another large gash before slowly moving to his forearms. He was closer to San now, his hand was in reach to grab the other male’s, still weeping weakly. “San, I’m so sorry.” He whimpered as San smiled and shook his head, accepting his apology. Seeing the male smile was enough for him to follow him to the shore of the beach and at the same time, Wooyoung’s conscious body became limp in the bathtub; the hatred, pain and suffering in his blood that ran through his veins were fused into the bathwater as his final exhale slipped away from his dry, parted lips.</p><p>✫</p><p>
  <em> I’m sorry </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I’ve spent my entire life chasing things that make me happy even if it kills me. The desire to strive for happiness and joy is one of many things that keeps me going through life. I live my dull life every single day loving and caring for each and every person in my life. Is it selfish for wanting that? Well, what about the people who do the opposite? What then? Do I keep striving to make them happy? I can’t give up on people as I never want people to give up on me, people deserve second chances.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Seonghwa, how are you able to still live with the idea of knowing that you’ve taken San away from me? Did you even love him? Or did you love him for his money? I loved him for him and I will continue to love him in the afterlife, you didn’t deserve him. I’m selfish but I don’t care. Now you can’t have him at all because I killed him. I murdered my own best friend to save him from you. I wanted to see if you would miss him and you clearly don’t. It’s obvious that you don’t. You barely shed a tear, you dirty bastard. Is this want you wanted? You want me dead, isn’t that right? Every time I endure every single beating of yours; every punch, slap, choke and tear you do to my body, I think of San doing this to me because he loves me. But with you, it's out of hate. You say it’s sexual, so why is San’s skin still so beautiful yet my body is left with marks made by you? Please reflect on your actions after I’ve left. Even the tiniest things can have a massive butterfly effect; you never know what someone else might be experiencing, you don’t know how they deal with conflict and issues. Some might brush it off, and some bottle it up until they explode; just like me. So please, don’t be that person.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> All I ever wanted was pure happiness and no one can ever take that away from me. Everyone should be happy for my departure instead of feeling sorrow for me. I was suffering in this world, leaving it would be the best thing to have ever happened to me. Please do well, everyone. Take care of yourselves and remember to love each other every day. I love you all so much.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> wooyoung. </em>
</p><p>✫</p><p>A day after Wooyoung’s passing, members of the group, besides Jongho, were gathered into the detective’s office, listening to the officer reading out the handwritten suicide letter. Neither of them had realised that Wooyoung had depression the entire time except for Mingi; he could see right through him without Wooyoung even telling him. Hongjoong and Yeosang were leaning against each other, both trying to hold back their tears but eventually broke down in each other’s arms. Yunho was left with a lot of guilt for leaving Wooyoung alone as Mingi and Seonghwa remained silent. The officer concluded that the offender committed suicide and planned to close the investigation. The funeral that was held privately for the two friends united the members of the group for one day, even Jongho had shown up unnoticed, kept his distance from the group and disappeared after it was all over. </p><p>The events that turned out in a short part of their lives ended up splitting the entire group into their own paths. Hongjoong took a break from university once again to have his own solo adventures around the world, Yunho had developed a guilty conscience, needed a lot of help with it so he scheduled to see a therapist every week. He also became a personal driver for the wealthier families such as Seonghwa’s while Yeosang became a bartender at one of the biggest gay clubs in their district. </p><p>Seonghwa was the central cause of their deaths. He thought that with his money, he was able to help him move on from the event but he never mentally and emotionally recovered. His penthouse was deemed useless; a waste of space as he came back home from the funeral. The entire house smells of bleach and cleaning products; his home no longer felt like a safe space. As he made his way upstairs, he noticed the entire bed was gone and sections of the carpet had been ripped out. He made his way into his walk-in closet that displayed designer clothes which seemed meaningless and pointless to him for the moment. He reached into the drawers and grabbed a neatly folded shirt that belonged to San, bringing the fabric up to his nose he inhaled the fabric softener but was soon met with his familiar natural scent that continued to linger into the fabric. He did the same for Wooyoung’s shirt; it was at that moment he realised that losing them both was the worst feeling he felt; he was lonely. </p><p>Although in his mind, neither of them were as great as Hongjoong, they were still a big part of his life. Seonghwa fell onto his knees, holding the two shirts up to his nose and cried into the soft fabric, letting out louder, muffled cries. Despite all the money he had, he realised that the two people in his life were irreplaceable and that was the first time Seonghwa had experienced guilt. Apart from all of his lust for money, maybe there was a bit of love and passion for the two men but it was expressed in an unfortunate, toxic manner. Seonghwa had grown up as an independent character and made friends along the way; the kind of friends he failed to pay attention to and as soon as they were out of his life, he understood what it was like to feel empty.</p><p>✫</p><p>When Mingi finished his work for the last semester of his degree, he had cleaned out his apartment for his new one, clearing out every single furniture to either sell to charity or have it disposed of efficiently. Clearing out his fridge, he realised that he still kept the drug. It had almost been half a year since the duo’s passing so he still had some sentimental value to it but he wanted a fresh start; especially with his career choice. Mingi stood over the toilet in the bathroom, looking over at the small pill one last time before dropping it into the pool of water and flushed it with ease.</p><p>“Mingi! You’re all set?” A voice called to him as it snapped him out of a trance, exiting the empty bathroom and out to see Seonghwa slightly drenched in sweat wearing a lost tank top; a little weary from carrying boxes. “The guys said they’ll get rid of the other stuff tomorrow. They said it’s pretty much useless at this point.” He pats the other’s back and looks around to check if there was anything else left. It was obvious that Mingi still felt guilty for even accepting the new apartment for something that had ill-intentions. Seonghwa took notice and smiled, reassuring him, “Just think of it as a graduation gift from me to you, nothing else.” He suggested with a grin as they headed out of the apartment where Mingi gave his old landlord the keys. </p><p>As they both made their way out, Mingi reached out to grab his friend’s arm to get his attention before pushing himself in for a tight hug. “Thank you.” He managed to whisper, some of the guilt and worries he contained were slowly lifted off his shoulder. “You’ve given me so much. I really appreciate it. I promise to give you something or someone in return. I’ve already set you up on a date with someone tonight.” He leans back and smiles at the male who only gagged at Mingi’s cheesiness; failing to believe that Mingi had set him up with someone. “Fine! Fuck you then.” Mingi blew a raspberry at the man as he made his way over to his motorbike, putting on his helmet after giving Seonghwa his. “Seriously though, you’ll love him.” </p><p>✫</p><p>“The sky is nice and clear today, isn’t it? Lovely day to see you two again.” Hongjoong sat on the grass facing the two gravestones in front of him smiling wide with his disposable mask resting over his chin. “Hyung is doing well. Finally landed a permanent job at the firm I was an intern at. I’m also taking up guitar lessons as a hobby. Let’s see how that plays out!” He chuckles, bringing his knees up to his chest and looks up at the clear sky, letting out a sigh in content before closing his eyes. “Yeah, Rome was amazing especially before I signed my contract. It was a nice break for me before I got back to work.” </p><p>Faint footsteps were heard towards the left side so he quickly whipped his head to the side and saw two walking figures each holding a bouquet of flowers. A bright expression spread across his face and a happy squeal made him stand up quickly and hug the male closest to him. “Hi-” The shorter wheezed as he was squeezed into the tight embrace, forcing all the air out of him. “Nice to see you too.” </p><p>“Yeosang!” The older squished the male’s cheeks and leaned in for a quick kiss on the cheek which made him lean back and push him away. “Okay okay I’m sorry. I just haven’t seen you in so long and you’ve changed so much!” He compliments, pinching his cheeks before letting go and let him rest the flowers on their graves. “And Yunho!” He coos and pulls the other taller male into a tight hug as well, rubbing his back lovingly. You’re looking so mature now. What’s it like working for the Park’s? They’re treating you well?” </p><p>Yunho had been working for Seonghwa’s family for the past year as a personal driver for the direct members of Seonghwa’s family. He was good at being quiet and he was good at driving and keeping the family safe, so he figured it was a good job position for him. “Very good actually. The kids are very fun to talk to.” He has learnt to involve in more conversations and eventually became more sociable as well. </p><p>“I can’t believe it’s been a year. We miss you two so much.” Yeosang started with a slight pout and lowered his head. “You guys were so loud and joyful. I hope you two are enjoying yourselves up there, making new friends and spreading that good energy. We miss you.” He pursed his lips, knowing that if he spoke anymore he would break down into tears so he stood up and hugged himself, and forced himself to smile to distract himself from crying.</p><p>“What? You guys are here too?” Mingi’s voice was heard from a distance. The three of them turned around to see the tall male approach him. He had changed quite significantly; his hair was a natural black and the clothes he wore made him look more formal for his work. “I didn’t think you guys would be here.” He had a bright smile when he joined them, looking down at grave stones and made a silent prayer. “What about you two? You guys straight vibin’ there?” He kneels in between the grave to kiss his two fingers and lightly touched the grass over San’s before doing the same for Wooyoung. </p><p>Hongjoong was still admiring Mingi who kneeled in front of him and he couldn’t help but to reach out and brush through his black hair lovingly. “You’ve changed so much as well, Mingi. You actually look like an adult.” Hongjoong complimented as Mingi stood up, and smiles at the older, feeling rather flustered as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his tan trench coat. “You have a boyfriend yet?” Hongjoong nudge Mingi’s arm, snickering. “Wooyoung would be dying to know.” The taller could only shake his head and chuckled in an embarrassed manner, covering the lower half of his face not wanting to answer but he eventually nodded slowly but kept quiet about it. Hongjoong gasped and felt giddy, grabbing Mingi’s arm once again and shook him violently. “Oh my go-”</p><p>“Mingi?” The two of them turned around to the source of the voice, distracted from the conversation and Mingi was rather surprised to see Seonghwa arrive with two bouquets of flowers as well. He had a bright smile as he approached the group, grinning at them. “Nice to see you all again after a good year of being adults. You guys still look beautiful.” He flattered them as he set the bouquet of flowers over their resting place. “And you two, oh how I miss you guys so much.” Seonghwa took his time to kneel on the ground, enjoying the presence of his two friends, placing his hand over either stone and closed his eyes to make a silent prayer. </p><p>Their attention had been averted once again by footsteps on the grass and gentle cough. The male approached the small group with a soft smile, bowing at them as he made eye contact with each and every one of them. Mingi strides over to the male and brings him into a hug. “It’s so good to see you again, Jongho.” </p><p>It was obvious how much Jongho had changed in a year as he had the best glow-up out of the entire group. He had changed his style, his hair and his skin was a lot cleaner and refreshed the last time they had seen him. He was smiling a lot more and he had a glowing aura. Jongho released himself from the hug and moved closer to the group, greeting them all with a smile before standing beside Seonghwa. He lets out a vocal sigh before kneeling right next to the man. “We miss you guys so much.” Jongho started off, completing the silent prayer in his head, resting his hand over Wooyoung’s spot. </p><p>Seonghwa looked over at the younger male and grinned, placing his hand on his back, patting him soothingly. He wasn’t scared of Jongho any longer, he could tell that the man had changed especially when he knelt right next to him without throwing a punch. The younger man exchanged eye contact with Seonghwa, feeling rather content with each other. Although they hadn’t said anything, it was clear that they had let go of the past and learnt from their mistakes.  Jongho had learnt how to manage his anger issues while Seonghwa had broken out of his shell and learnt how to be more empathetic and thoughtful. They both silently reconciled and shared an amiable bro-hug.  </p><p>“All right, kids.” Hongjoong started as the two stood up to look down at the graves. “Since we’re all here, let’s catch up over his chicken and beer to commemorate. You’re all free?” He suggested and all of excitedly agreed, making comments about their hunger as they all made their way out of the cemetery as a group except for Seonghwa. “Come on, Seonghwa! Fried chicken is literally waiting for us to eat them!” Hongjoong jokes, gesturing to him to catch up to the group. </p><p>Seonghwa nodded at him, “I’ll be there shortly!” He shouts back before focusing his attention on the two of them again. “Time went by really fast when we were together. I know I should’ve treated you better. You guys don’t deserve the pain and suffering that I have caused you. I love you two so much.” He was on the verge of tears, his heart swelling as his face grew warmer; burning red. “I wish I could join you,” His voice breaks, “but I have an obligation here and that is to do what you both have taught me; spread positive energy, love and compassion to the people around me and to live my best life.I could never have taught myself that without you two, I never would’ve learnt how to love and care for my friends. I only realised that after I lost you both. I’m sorry, and I love you so much.” </p><p>He was close to weeping again until Hongjoong came around and wrapped an arm around the taller’s shoulder to drag him away. “Come on, don’t hog your time with them. I’m getting jealous.” He teased, leaning up to kiss his cheek in a loving manner, ruffling the top of his head. “They’re probably sick of hearing your voice.” Seonghwa laughs it off to distract himself from the tears, wiping it away with the ball of his hand.</p><p>For Seonghwa, time was moving a lot faster for him so he had learnt to embrace every single moment he has with his friends as it could be their last; as all of them did. Their circle of friends had formed once again with a stronger bond, becoming inseparable for the many years to come. They always look back on this incident and mourn every year, leaving flowers and snacks for them, forming their own little shrine in each of their homes to commemorate their two deceased friends. It took Seonghwa a long time to mature into a respectable young man and with that, he was able to fully commit to his romantic relationship with Hongjoong.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A description of each character's sin and virtue.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seonghwa lusts over money, power and sex. Having everything spoon-fed his entire life, people working for him, running errands for him and making decisions for him, he lived freely. In high school, he watched one of the students in his cohort become broke within a few months due to insider trading and sexual misconduct within their family business. The rumour didn’t bother him; it was the fact that when they crossed paths, the said student had a glow-down; he had looked worse than before, and that encounter alone was enough to trigger Seonghwa. Since then, he had been attracted to wealth preferably his net worth or higher. The consequences of his lust led to the death of San and Wooyoung; his lack of control in sex especially had a physical impact on Wooyoung and a psychological impact on San. The realisation hit him once he realised that the two positive people, who shined so brightly in his life, had disappeared within a day. </p><p>Yunho was the quietest member of the group, the sloth, the most apathetic. He grew up to learn how to mind his own business since he was raised in an abusive family. His father loved and adored his children, but would constantly abuse his mother. Every time his mother was screaming for help towards a nine-year-old kid, he was always told to keep quiet and mind his own business. As a young child, he was conditioned to keep quiet whenever there was a conversation unless it was addressed or directed at him. He failed to realise that leaving Wooyoung alone was detrimental to himself and everyone around him and that he was still capable of hurting himself again. </p><p>Yeosang was an alcoholic; an emotional, gluttonous consumer. Although he was raised middle class, he never suffered any trauma as a child. But as he transitioned into an adult, he was heavily influenced by the underground gay community. His inability to control his own drinking habits developed the same inability to control his own emotions. Whenever there was a dispute in the group, he would always be the first to cry and cower away from the mess. Fear was something that he possessed, unable to save his friends from Seonghwa’s manipulative behaviour; the fear of getting caught. For Yeosang, Seonghwa was someone who could pull himself out of any situation with just a bit of cash. Even he had suspicions that Seonghwa had the ability to kill him if he could. Whenever he would feel that way, he would down himself a few bottles of soju so he wouldn’t run his mouth whenever they were chatting as a group. </p><p>San. Although he was only briefed over a number of times, he possessed pride. He also had an upbringing similar to Seonghwa, but he was focused around beauty and royalty. Even though they had a similar wealth status, San was someone who enjoyed flexing his beauty and wealth around his friends and people in real life and the internet. Despite the ego-centric characteristics, he was a good company to have around the circle; his banter with Wooyoung lightened the mood of the group. However, he took his pride too far by threatening to report Seonghwa for the negative impact he had on Wooyoung; unless he changed. It was clear that San knew about it without Wooyoung even telling him. All the voice memos and photos of Wooyoung’s tainted skin was enough to build a case. Unfortunately, by flaunting and threatening Seonghwa, it had resulted in his death. He still had a lot of faith for Seonghwa; his expectations for him to change was beyond reach and he didn’t live long enough to see his personal growth. </p><p>Mingi’s desperation derived from his lower-class living. His greed had eaten him up, his desire for money to live a lavish lifestyle just like Hongjoong and Seonghwa overpowering his conscience. It was enough that he was willing to risk it all just to have it, even if it ended up killing another human being. As his desperation grew, his morality diminished. He didn’t care about the process; he only cared about the end goal which was everything he ever needed. As he progressed further into his adult life, he learned to realise that the death of his two friends brought him back his righteousness once again, replacing the desperation and greed that tempted him in the past. </p><p>Wooyoung was driven by envy. He strived to have San to himself despite having Seonghwa in their lives. He endured every moment with the older man, even if it killed him, just to be around San and have his sexual moments with him. There was only so much that Wooyoung could endure before he snapped into his primal state and was bloodthirsty for revenge. If he couldn’t have San for himself, neither could Seonghwa. The rage and frustration that coursed through his entire body were so extreme that he was willing to end his best friend’s life before ending his own. </p><p>Jongho’s uncontrollable rage was something that impacted the entire group. He was the only person in the circle who wasn’t afraid to express his hate towards Seonghwa. If anything, he was the bravest, most confident individual within the group. Although they knew that his anger issues were indeed a problem, it had never stopped him from speaking the truth. Towards the other members, they had deemed his outbursts as an overreaction rather than him telling the truth; hence no one believed him, they always assumed that he was making the situation worse than what it originally was. Violence was another thing that he could not control. Whenever he wasn’t able to speak properly without the use of vulgar language and excessive aggression, he would use his fists instead. There was a hint of pride in his aggression and it was evident that whenever he was in a rage, he would make bold statements that he truly believed in.</p><p><em> The Seven Deadly S</em>ins had possessed each member of the group besides one. Hongjoong is the only individual who holds a <em> Heavenly Virtue </em> which is charity. The oldest of the group had the power and motivation to keep the entire circle together. Instead of letting out his frustration on others, he tried his best to hold back his own thoughts and feelings in order for the members to feel safe. Even though he was raised in a wealthy family, he was aware of poverty and the lower-class; how some people manage to skim their way to climb up the social hierarchy while others struggled to put food on the table. Growing up, he knew he had to do something to give back to the world even if his actions could impact just one person; it was enough to spread around to other people. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>written by : tsukemen // mei<br/>edited by : eskimojo // vy</p><p>Thank you for reading my story! I worked really hard on this and I truly hope this has made an impact on you in some shape or form. Remember to love the people closest to you and check up on them every now and then.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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